West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari has outlined a plan to extend the metro railway network beyond Kolkata to prominent district cities, naming Asansol-Durgapur and Siliguri-Jalpaiguri as initial priorities. He instructed the state administration to prepare project proposals and to explore multilateral financing from institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and HUDCO to support the expansions. The proposals are intended to improve regional connectivity and public transport capacity. The chief minister asked the chief secretary to draw up detailed plans under the state transport department for projects that would be implemented alongside Indian Railways initiatives. Officials were directed to prepare technical studies, ridership estimates and costings that could be presented to prospective funders. The state transport minister is reported to have met the Union urban development minister to brief him on the roadmap and to seek coordination on approvals and intergovernmental support. Mr Adhikari inaugurated a fleet of 50 new air conditioned buses for the state transport corporation, comprising 43 CNG vehicles and seven electric buses, and directed their deployment on 24 routes across the city. The consignment was procured at a cost of Rs 422.2 million (mn), a figure officials said would bolster urban services and reduce emissions. He also outlined initiatives for greener transport options, indicating priorities for electrification and cleaner fuels. Officials did not provide firm timelines for the metro extensions but said preparatory work would begin with feasibility assessments and land surveys to inform project phasing. Coordination between state agencies and central authorities was described as essential for securing approvals, technical clearances and funding disbursements. The chief minister indicated that the prioritised corridors would target high demand commuter flows to stimulate economic activity and to provide a reliable alternative to road transport.